


It Takes a Village

by The_Lady_Crane



Category: Fire Emblem Heroes, Fire Emblem Series
Genre: Babysitting, Cute Kids, Fluff, Gen, Gift Fic, Humor, I'm Bad At Tagging, One Shot Collection, Random & Short, Vignette, i suck at fluff
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-10-04
Updated: 2019-10-04
Packaged: 2020-11-23 08:37:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,849
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20889236
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/The_Lady_Crane/pseuds/The_Lady_Crane
Summary: The adventures of little Lucina and her various babysitters in Castle Askr.Written for my bestest bestie. :D





	It Takes a Village

**Author's Note:**

  * For [butterflywriter](https://archiveofourown.org/users/butterflywriter/gifts).

> OK, guys. I really, really suck at fluff. I don't do it well at all. But my bestest bestie believes in me, so I'm posting this for her. I hope you enjoy this fluffy little series, LL! I'm terrible with these sentimental notes, so let's just move on to the story, shall we? Otherwise I'll keep rambling. >_<

Castle Askr was a beautiful sight on a clear autumn day. Ike appreciated days like these. They reminded him of his time in Crimea, which was blessed with vibrant seasons like Askr. He strolled along the courtyard path, his companion skipping along with him with one tiny hand in his big gauntlet. He looked down, and gave the child one of his rare smiles.

Lucina smiled back up at Ike, holding onto the mercenary as she kicked her feet up on each step. The four-year-old had been a surprise addition to the castle, but Chrom and the female Robin had apparently been unable to contain themselves. Now deemed the “little sister” of the older Lucina and Morgan, she was exempt from the battlefield but no less a member of their Order.

“Where’s Daddy?” Luci asked as they passed the fountain in the center of the courtyard.

“He told you he was going to the border today,” Ike replied patiently.

“Where’s Mommy?”

“At the border,” Ike said.

“Gonna spend day wif Ikie!” she sang, and Ike nodded. “Mommy Daddy at a boulder, and Luci wif Ikie!”

“Yep.” He led her along the pathway, out through the garden gate and into the arboretum. A little playground had been built out here for the castle’s few younger inhabitants. Corrina was already there with the male Kana; both were on the wooden swing set, laughing as each tried to swing higher than the other.

“Hi, Luci!” Kana called when he sighted them. “Wanna play on the swing with us?”

“Can I?” Luci looked up at Ike with large, sparkling eyes, and Ike nodded. He walked over to lean against a pine tree as Luci ran to join Kana and his mother.

He couldn’t say he was thrilled about being a babysitter, but Luci wasn’t so bad. He had watched Mist a lot when they were kids, and she had been a terror compared to Luci. Still, he couldn’t help but feel a bit left out; he wanted to be fighting alongside his comrades, particularly his other selves that had been summoned here. He could just imagine how much stronger they were getting with all of this extra practice. Not to mention his boyfriend, who was also out there in the thick of things. Marth was younger than Ike was now; why was he allowed to go?

His train of thought stopped when Luci called to him, swinging her legs pathetically and giving him the most adorable puppy-dog eyes. He smirked, and came to join her. Even if he couldn’t fight now, this duty was just as important. He would make sure Luci was safe and well cared-for while her parents were out risking their lives, and he supposed that was a huge relief to them.

“Wanna push!” Luci said, and Ike dutifully went behind her and took hold of the ropes, just above her tiny fists. Drawing back, he pulled her until she was almost parallel to the ground.

“You ready?” he asked.

“Hehe, yeah! Let’s go!” Luci giggled, holding on for dear life as Ike pushed HARD. She rocketed through the air, came falling back again, and picked up speed as Ike stepped back and caught the seat on the backswing to add more force to the second swing. Higher and higher she went, until she was beating out Kana and Corrina for highest swing. Shrieking with laughter the entire time, Lucina kicked out on every swing, using her body to maintain momentum as Ike pushed her now and then to boost her speed. Her hair flying out all over her face, her pink dress ruffling around her knees, she was the picture of childhood glee.

And then, she was the picture of childhood in flight.

It took Ike a second to realize that he had pushed her too hard, but his fighter instincts were well honed. “Aw, crap!” She went flying through the air, and he rushed to catch her. Still squealing, Luci landed on Ike’s shoulder, bringing both of them down into a heap on the grass.

“Oh, my!” Corrina skidded to a halt and ran over to them as Ike sat up painfully. “Are you alright?”

Ike looked at Luci, who was sitting up and laughing her little head off. She jumped to her feet and ran back to the swing set, where Kana had also stopped and was looking at her in awe. “Again!” she called, hopping onto the swing. “Ikie, again! Again!”

“Ugh…” Ike slumped on the ground, rubbing his aching shoulder. “Yeah, no. We’re not doing that again.”

“Mama, I wanna do that!” Kana was standing up on his swing, jerking the ropes back and forth. “Come on, push me high! I wanna fly, too!”

“Thanks a lot, Ike,” Corrina groaned, walking back over to her son.

“Ikie, come oooooon!” Luci kicked out, clearly expecting to be flung through the air again.

“Hey, let’s go to the slide,” Ike said.

“No, wanna swing!”

Ike stood up, brushing his pants off. “Fine, I’ll just go have fun by myself.”

“Huh? Wait!” He didn’t have to turn around to know that she had leapt off of the swing and was now running towards him. Her pattering little footsteps approached, and she jumped ahead of him to climb the ladder to the slide. “You’re too big, Ikie. You gotta stay!”

“Huh. I bet I could fit…” It was a rather small slide, and he doubted that it was wide enough to hold even half of him. But the challenge had been issued. He climbed up behind Luci as she giggled and hurried to the top. He let her go first, and then he stood at the top, balancing precariously. Bracing himself, he stepped down the slide, his boots clattering on the polished wood.

“Hey, cheater!” Luci cried. “That’s not slides!”

“It counts,” Ike said. “Let’s see you do that.”

“Nope,” Luci said. She went to the bottom of the slide and stood on it, testing it for a moment before attempting to dash up the incline.

“Not gonna get very far that way,” Ike said.

“Watch, I can do it!” She struggled, slipped, fell, and got up to try again. Ike had to admire her determination. The soles of her boots weren’t sturdy enough, though, and she kept sliding back down. “Hrrrrmmmm… Ikie, help!”

“You’re the one who decided to do it, so do it.”

“Aww…!” Luci scrunched up her face, stuck out her tongue, and gave a running start. Again, she slid back down. Ike rolled his eyes.

“Fine, you want a hand?”

“No!” She stood and brushed herself off, then got in position to try again.

“You just asked for my help,” Ike said.

“Wanna do it,” Luci said. “Wanna be strong, like Ikie!”

“Heh, OK, then.” He watched as she tried, failed, and tried again and again. Corrina and Kana left the playground, and Ike went to sit on one of the swings as Luci continued her single-minded crusade.

After a dozen tries or so, she stopped and stared up at the top of the slide, biting her lower lip. Ike thought she was planning it out, but then she began dancing in place. “Hey, what are you doing?” he called.

She mumbled something that he couldn’t hear. Standing up, he strode over to her, worried that she might have hurt herself somehow. “What is it?” he asked, dropping to one knee beside her and assessing her for injuries.

“Potty,” she whimpered.

“Oh, that’s all? OK, then go.”

“Dunno wheeeere!” Luci cried, her frenzied dance increasing in tempo as she bounced in place.

“Just go in the bushes,” Ike said, standing up.

“Noooo! That’s gross, Ikie!”

“Hey, I do it all the time,” he said somewhat indignantly.

“Nooo! Wanna go to real potty!”

“Agh, dammit…” Was this a girl thing, or just a royal thing? Ike took her hand, wondering if he’d ever in his life used a proper indoor toilet. “Fine, let’s go.”

“Ikie, carry me?”

Ike grimaced, not relishing the idea of holding a toddler who was in need of a bathroom. But he relented. He picked her up with his hands under her arms, holding her away from him as he started off at a trot across the park. The latrines were on the other side of the castle. If he hurried, they would make it in time.

His trot became a sprint, and then an all-out dash as Luci began to whimper. “Hang in there!” he said, out of breath already as he raced through the garden and towards the courtyard. Cursing the winding paths that led through the flowerbeds, he thought, “Screw it!” and began running directly through the flower beds. Someone shouted at him, but he didn’t see who it was. “Got an emergency, here!” he bellowed, not daring to look back.

“Ikiiiiieeee!” Luci whined. They broke into the courtyard, and Ike noticed the fountain.

Skidding in the grass a bit, he assessed his situation. He didn’t know how long it would take to run to the latrines from here. Lucina refused to go in the bushes. But there was another option…

>>><<< 

When the troops returned, Luci was among the first to greet them. Ike had to half-run to keep up with her as she rushed through the main entrance and wove her way through the battle-weary warriors. Ike caught Marth’s eye as he passed by, but didn’t have time to say anything. Finally, he caught up with Luci and lifted her onto his shoulder.

“There!” she pointed, and Ike followed her command, taking her right to Chrom and Robin.

“Luci!” Chrom said, stepping forward with his arms outstretched as Luci leaned towards him. Father and child were reunited, and Ike returned Robin's smile with a nod.

“Thank you, Ike,” the Ylissean prince said. “We really appreciate your watching her today.”

“Yeah, no problem,” Ike said.

“Did you have fun today?” Robin asked, following Chrom as he carried Luci towards the castle. Ike trailed behind them.

“Yep! We went to park, and had yummies!”

“Aw, you did? What did you eat?”

“Mist made us sandwiches,” Ike said. “I tried, but…”

“Hehe, Ikie makes a mess,” Luci giggled.

“And what happened to your pretty dress?” Robin asked, suddenly realizing that Luci was wearing one of Ike’s shirts tied at the waist with a triple-looped belt.

“Uh, that’s…”

“I went in the fountain, and Ikie hadda get me new clothes,” Luci said. “Went swimming!”

“Aw, did you, now?”

Ike breathed a sigh of relief. Nobody had to know that the fountain had been an emergency stop during the mad dash to the latrines. If anybody found out, Kiran would probably make him clean the whole thing out with a toothbrush.

“Ooh, Daddy, needa potty,” Luci said as they made their way into the castle.

“OK, honey, let’s go to the bathroom.”

“Nope, wanna use the fountain!”

“Huh?”

Chrom looked back towards Ike, but the young mercenary was nowhere to be seen. He had vanished, leaving the prince and the tactician with a little girl who was now pulling them towards the courtyard.


End file.
